Graduation rates for University of Montana student-athletes are down from a year ago, but are still significantly higher than that of the general student population, according to data released by the NCAA on Tuesday.
Montana student-athletes who entered the university in the 2001-02 school year graduated at a rate of 55 percent in a span of six years, down from 67 percent for those who came to the Missoula campus for the 2000-01 school year. This year's numbers are still far higher than the graduation rate for the general student population, which remained at 42 percent.
“It's a little lower than it was last year and we felt very, very strong about that,” Montana Athletics Director Jim O'Day said. “There are many factors that go into that.”
For instance, the men's basketball program has had four different head coaches from 2002-2008 and the football program went through a coaching change after the 2002 season. If players choose to leave school for any reason, including a coaching change, that counts against the school's graduation rate.
That's where the graduation success rate comes in. That number includes athletes who left school in good academic standing and graduated from another school. Montana's graduation success rate is 71 percent; Montana State's is 62 percent.
“It's good news any time you can continue to show you're one of the leaders in that category, but we do intend to do better,” O'Day said.
Montana's four-class average graduation rate stands at 59 percent, compared to 47 percent for Montana State.
“That anchors us, looking at the last four years worth,” said Jean Gee, associate athletic director. “To go down to 55 percent was a little disappointing, but it's still above the general student graduation rate. If you look at the four-year rate, if we had dropped into the 40s, I would have been disappointed.
“We want to be higher, no doubt about that, but when you're looking at all the numbers we're still above the campus average.”
Montana State's average was hurt by football, at 17 percent, and men's and women's basketball, both of which were zero.
“We've taken aggressive steps to improve our graduation rates across the board,” Montana State Athletics Director Peter Fields said. “We've addressed steps in the process ranging from the recruitment and evaluation of prospective student-athletes to our support of those young people after they have exhausted their eligibility. We've enhanced our Academic Center and our academic support programs, and while the cumulative effect of these changes won't be reflected in graduation rates for several years, we strongly believe we're headed in a positive direction.”
The three weakest programs at MSU were the strongest at Montana. Women's basketball posted a 100 percent graduation rate, while men's basketball was 67 percent and football 63 percent.
“That's incredible for a Division I men's basketball program,” Gee said.
Dragging UM down was men's cross country and track and field, at just 22 percent.
“That's not normally the case,” O'Day said.
One of the factors hurting that program is that many of those athletes receive just partial scholarships.
“It might be books or $400 in cash; it's not a lot to keep a kid anchored to that institution,” Gee said.
Sports editor Bob Meseroll can be reached at 523-5265 or at sportsdesk@missoulian.com.
Graduation rates
Following are the graduation rates in percentages for student-athletes who entered the University of Montana and Montana State University in the 2001-02 school year:
UM MSU
Men's basketball 67 0
Men's CC/track 22 75
Football 63 17
Men's other 50 33
Women's basketball 100 0
Women's CC/track 50 50
Women's other 50 75
Total 55 40
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)